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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bear — the animal
  9. court — of a king
  10. craft — boats
  11. rush — hurry
  12. fork — in a road
  13. court — of law
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. craft — a skill
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — a division
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. court — for sport
  24. fork — to eat with

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com